Fatima Moreira de Melo
Encyclopedia
Fatima Moreira de Melo LL.M. (born 4 July 1978 in Rotterdam
, Zuid-Holland of Portuguese descent) is a Dutch
field hockey
player. She has played 191 international matches for the Dutch national team
, where she has scored 30 times. Her debut match was on 21 October 1997 against Germany which ended in a 2-1 victory for The Netherlands. She plays on the position of striker
. In the Dutch national competition she has played for Tempo '34, HGC
and HC Rotterdam. She was part of the Dutch squad that became World Champion at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup
and which won the 2007 Champions Trophy.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
she won an olympic gold medal with the Dutch
national team beating China
in the final 2-0.
Besides playing field hockey she also studied law and has presented TV programs for both local and national TV stations. She also has a career
as a singer. She performed the theme song for the International Hockey Federation
's International Year of the Youth at the closing of the 2001 Men's World Cup Hockey Qualifier in Edinburgh
. Her father is a Portuguese
diplomat for Holland. Her boyfriend is pro-tennis player Raemon Sluiter
. She obtained a Masters Degree in Law in 2006. In December 2006 she became Rotterdam Sportswoman of the Year
and became the new face of the Rabobank
in their Dutch TV-advertisements.
She belongs to the Team PokerStars: Sportstars, and one can find her playing tournaments behind the nickname FatimaDeMelo on the PokerStars online poker card room.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Zuid-Holland of Portuguese descent) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player. She has played 191 international matches for the Dutch national team
Netherlands women's national field hockey team
The Netherlands' national women's field hockey team is currently number two on the FIH world rankings and they are the 2006 world champions and reigning Olympic champions...
, where she has scored 30 times. Her debut match was on 21 October 1997 against Germany which ended in a 2-1 victory for The Netherlands. She plays on the position of striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. In the Dutch national competition she has played for Tempo '34, HGC
HGC (field hockey)
HGC is the acronym of the field hockey club H.O.C. Gazellen-Combinatie, which is located on the border of Wassenaar and The Hague in The Netherlands. The club was founded on September 22, 1906....
and HC Rotterdam. She was part of the Dutch squad that became World Champion at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup
2006 Women's Hockey World Cup
The 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup is the 11th edition of the Women's Hockey World Cup. It was held from September 27 to October 8, 2006 in Madrid, Spain.Netherlands won its sixth World Championship after beating Australia 3–1...
and which won the 2007 Champions Trophy.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
she won an olympic gold medal with the Dutch
Netherlands women's national field hockey team
The Netherlands' national women's field hockey team is currently number two on the FIH world rankings and they are the 2006 world champions and reigning Olympic champions...
national team beating China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the final 2-0.
Besides playing field hockey she also studied law and has presented TV programs for both local and national TV stations. She also has a career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
as a singer. She performed the theme song for the International Hockey Federation
International Hockey Federation
The International Field Hockey Federation is the global governing body of field hockey...
's International Year of the Youth at the closing of the 2001 Men's World Cup Hockey Qualifier in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Her father is a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
diplomat for Holland. Her boyfriend is pro-tennis player Raemon Sluiter
Raemon Sluiter
Raemon Sluiter is a professional male tennis player from the Netherlands. His career-high Association of Tennis Professionals Entry ranking is Number 46...
. She obtained a Masters Degree in Law in 2006. In December 2006 she became Rotterdam Sportswoman of the Year
Rotterdam Sportsman of the year
The Rotterdam Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year is an annual election, organised by the city's division for topsport named Rotterdam Topsport. The award goes to sportspeople who were born or have lived in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland. Rotterdam was the first city in the Netherlands to honour its...
and became the new face of the Rabobank
Rabobank
Rabobank is a financial services provider with offices worldwide. Their main location is in the Netherlands. They are a global leader in Food and Agri financing and in sustainability-oriented banking...
in their Dutch TV-advertisements.
She belongs to the Team PokerStars: Sportstars, and one can find her playing tournaments behind the nickname FatimaDeMelo on the PokerStars online poker card room.